Electric telephone recording apparatus.



S. B. IRVIN. ELECTRIC TELEPHONE RECORDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1011.

1,055,279. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

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ELEG'I'RIU TELEPHONE RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1911 1,055,279. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

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SAMUEL B. IRVIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC TELEPHONE RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Application filed July 5, 1911. Serial No. 636,857.

recording mechanisms, and has particular relation to mechanism which is adapted to and applied to telephone instruments for recording incoming impulses or signals.

It is an object of the invention to provide means which may be attached to the ordinary telephone instrument in common use, for making and preserving a record of calls that are received over the line.

Itis also an object of the invention to provide an electrically operated mechanism which may be connected with the line wires of a telephone and which is provided with a recording device, capable of receiving and recording the same impulses that are trans mitted to the telephone instruments, whereby calls that come in over a telephone when no one is present to receive them, may be preserved and may be available at the time parties return to the telephone.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved recording instrument and an ordinary telephone mechanism located adjacent thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the recording "mechanism just below the cover thereof, so as to reveal the interior parts thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional viewthrough the recording mechanism, taken near one end thereof and so as to reveal the motor employed within the casing of the mechanism, together with the spacing and recording magnets and the intermediate connecting gearing. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the casing of the recording instrument and to one side of the motor relay and condenser mounted therein. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the recordin mechanism lifig the producing of a record' of the imp ses received over the telephone, l ne, taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a 'diagraxnmatical view illustrating the circuits employed for operating the de ice of the present invention.

thence passes between guide rollers for controlv the tape,

The details of the invention will now be more particularly described reference being had to the drawing in which- 10 indicates a casing in which is mounted the principal elements of the mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention and 11 indicates a motor mounted within the casing, 12 a relay, and 13 a condenser of ordinary construction.

The relay mechanism 12 is of ordinary or usual construction and is so connected that its winding is capable of-being switched into the telephone line circuit, over which; .1

the call impulses come and the said relay is provided with an armature 14 which is adapted to be operated by each impulse which passes through the relay, one end of said armature as 15 being adapted to press a spring cont-act 16 into engagement with a 7.5 spring contact 17 so as to complete a circuit between the two contacts. In this manner a circuit is completed through the motor 11 so as to set the same in operation.

The motor which is of any usual orordiso nary construction is arranged to carry upon its armature shaft, a small gear 18,.which v V meshes with a large gear 19 carried by a shaft 20.

The shaft 20 is journaled inthe framing of the mechanism and its outer end projects through the wall of the casing 10 and carries a feed roller 21 which is adapted to engage a tape 22 upon whichthe records desired are to be made. The said roller 21 is usually formed with an edge flange 23 to prevent the tape from slipping laterally therefrom. A' spring pressed roller 24 bears upon the upper side of the tape for holding it in contact with the roller 21, the sai roller 24 being carried by a pivoted member 23 secured to the side of the casing 10. ;A spring 26 bears upon the upper slde of said member and its tension 1s adjustable by means of a set screw 27 carried by a bracket 28 fixed to the wall of thecasing 10. The tape 20 is usually carried by a spool 29 of suitable size, which is journaled u on the Wall of the casing 10 and the said tape 31' and through a record makingdevice to ".thesaid feed roller 21 as' clearly shown in Figs." 1 and 2 of the drawing. .1 The record is adapted to. be made upon the tape by a tapper 32 which projects from the 110 casing 10 and is forced downwardly u on the tape being supported at t at' 30 and l thence extending beneath the tape and over the fixed projection and about the. feed the ribbon to make a mark upon the under cordingtapper 32 is also-produced by a cir- '20 immediate y begins to rotate the shaft 20 screw threaded portion of said shaft and is free end, a

time by a fixed support 33 upon the casing. The tapper may be of such a kind as to be capable of indenting or puncturing the tape to produce the records thereon or an -ink-' ing ribbon 34 may be provided and passed around pulleys 35 and 36, the said ribbon roller 21 so that the ribbon as well as the tape will be actuated by the said feed roller. Any depressions of the tapper 32 will cause side of the tape, the ribbon being held against the tape by the projection 33. It will be observed that the tape is thus fed by the action of the motor and when the motor is not operated the tape will of course re-- main stationary. The actuation of the recuit which is completed by the said relay 12. The circuits .which operate this mechanism and also the motor. are completed. through a local source of energy as for instance a local battery of suitable strength so that the recording mechanism does not draw trols the actuation of the motor. The said magnet 37 ismounted inside the casing and above the armature 38 which is loosely pivoted upon a bracket'39 upon the said casing- The shaft 20 which is driven by the gear 19 is provided with external screw threads for the greater portionf of its length and the armature 38 is adapted to" rest upon the provided with a cupped bearing 40, which is also screw threaded so as to engage said shaft-Land move the said armature 38 when the shaft 20 is turned. When the magnet 37 1s actuated by the completion of the circuit through the local battery, it will lift the armature 38 off from the screw 20 and per mlt it to be set at another 'point upon the threads of said shaft 20. The said armature, which at the time of themotor ceasmg 1ts movement at a. previous operation moves the contact means forrbreaking the clrcuit throu h the motor, will thus be set so as to permit the circuit to be made again through the motor and cause its operation. The sett' of the motor in motion of course and the armature 38 is thus" actuated by the threads of the shaft 20', in such a way as to tend to force it-against the said contacts referred to and break the circuit throfigh the motor again. e r a The armature-38 is provided with astop 41which limits the movement. thereof in one direction, so that it cannot swing. too far when it is raised by the action. of the magnet 37. The said armature 38 carri'esupon' its laterally extending projection- 42 which is adapted to strike the end of the circuit breaking contact heretofore referred to. The said contacts 43 and 44 are clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing where it will be, observed that they are secured to a block 45, preferably of insulating material,

which is carried by a partition 46 arranged within the casing 10.. The contact 44 is preferably of comparatively rigi material so as to form a fixed contact, while the contact 43 is preferably a spring and 1s provided with a contact pomt 47 which 1s pressed by the spring against the contact 44 so as to complete the circuit through the motor operating current. As the motor're- Volves and the armature 38 is carried over toward the contact 43 by its engagement with the threads upon the shaft 20, the said lateral projection 42 will engage the sprmg contact 43 and move it out of contact with the rigid contact 44. This will stop the current passing through the motor and W111 normally stop the operation of the'mechanlsm, but in sending in a call, the magnet 37 1s repeatedly actuated so as to lift the arma ture 38 and permit the spring contact 43 to throw it back to a new position upon the screw threads of the shaft 20. This operation is repeated as many times as there are impulses in a call so that the motor 15 practically kept in continuous operation during the incoming impulses for the number of a call. As soon as the call impulses cease the armature 38 will be carried over by the screw shaft 20 so as to break the circuit between the contacts 43 and 44.

The tapper 32 heretofore described is carried by an armature 48 which is held above the pulleys of a magnet 49 by meansofspring arms 50 which are fastened to the partition 46. The central portion of the armature 48 carries a tapper 32 which is usually in the shape of a bar, the free end of which extends outwardly through an opening in the casing 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At each actuation of the relay 12 by the incoming impulses over the line, the

magnet 40 is actuated for drawing the armature 48 downwardly and forcing the tapper 32 against the contact 22.

The mechanism is particularly adaptable to telephone systems of the automatic type in which themumbersof various calls over the lines are automatically produced by the use of a dial or similar mechanism. The drawings have therefore been made to illustrate the device as used in connection with an automatic system. Each numbergupon v an automatic system will producethe actuationof the relay 12 as many times as it is necessary to have impulses for producing the numbers of the call, and the actuation ofthe magnet 49 will cause a marking on the tape by the tapper 32 of a corresponding number of indications. Thus by read ing the tape afterward the number ofa call can be clearly'ascertained.

The operation of the me'chanismand the running of the circuits in (connection therewith w'illbe' fully understood by reference tothe diagrammatic view'shown in Fig. 6.

'secured'are represented at- 51 upon the diagram and conductors '52 and 53 are connected to thesaid line wires in any suitable manner and so as not to interfere with the regular connections employed upon the telephone. A switch '54 is interposed in the conductor 53 'so that the recording apparatus may be out at any time, as for instance when the parties are present to answer the telephone. Upon leaving the ofiice, house "or place where 1t is located, the switch 54 is closed so that any calls that come in durf*'ing"theahsen ce of parties will be properly recorded. The conductors 53 and 52 extend'to the windings of the relay 12, the

j condenser 13 being interposed in the conductors 52. This constitutes the only con-' motion that is required with the line wires ofthe telephone system. For the operation of the recording apparatus a local source of energy as'for instance a battery 55 is employed and one side of said battery is connected by means of a conductor 56 with the spring contact 17 of the relay 12. From theother pole of the battery 55 a conductor 57 extends to the magnet 49 and a conductor 58 extends from said magnet 49 to the other spring contact 16 of the said relay 12. When the armature 14 is actuated by the coil of the relay 12 it will force the 'rtwo' contacts'lfiand 17 togetherfor com 'pleting a circuit through the said magnet 49 as heretofore described. The diagram: matic view also indicates the position "of the armature 48 and the t apper 32 carried thereby, together with the tape 22, the inking ribbon 34 and the fixed marking support 33. The said magnet 49 is also connected with the magnet 37 by means of conductors 60 and 61, the connect-ion being such that a portion of the current from the batteiy which passes over the conductors 56 and 57 arid 58 will pass through the winding of said magnet 37 and actuate the same for lifting the armature 38 from the screw shaft 20 of the motor 11 as hertofore described. Themotor 11 is also connected in multiple with the magnets 49 and.37, conductors .62, 63, and 64 beingemplo ed for this purpose and connecting the sai motor with the conductors 56 and 57., The circuit through the motor is adapted to be broken by the action of the armature 38 upon the contacts 43 and 44 already described.

he cannot obtain an answer to his 'call,he

It isbelieved that the oper'ation of the mechanism will be thoroughly understood from the above description, especially when taken in connection with the diagram shown in Fig. 6. The connection of the relay 12: with the telephone instrument is such' that it has no more effect upon the system than it would to connect another hell with the one already upon the system. The mechanism while especially well adapted for use upon automatic systems can of course be adapted for use upon any other kind of a telephone system with the provision of a central instrument upon which an attendant can repeat the necessary impulses for pro- 3 ducing the record.

In the'use of this system it will be understood that the party making a call overthe line is instructed and understands that if immediately passes over the line a ca'll'of his own number without hanging upthe receiver, thus actuating the recording mech anism to indicate the number of theparty calling, upon the tape. When the party returns for whom the call-was intended hecan immediately ascertain by examining the tape whether any one has attempted to call him inhis absence and if so what the nuns ber of the party calling was. 'Thus' he can '95 call up the desired party. It will beun'derstood that any number of callsmay' be 'recorded in this-manner during the partys absence and that upon his return he can utilize the same. a

'What I claim is 1. A recording mechanism, comprisin a relay adapted to be connected with the 'line wires of the telephone system,-a r'ecord-pro- I ducing magnet, a motor, and a motor-controlling magnet connected in multiple, a local source of energy for actuating the same, the circuit through the said source of energy and the multip e connections being produced in accordance with the actuatlon of the 'relay, and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the motor when the impulses upon the relay cease.

2. A recording a paratus for receiving and reproducing cal s over tele hone lines, 116 comprising a magent connecte with the telephone'line, an armature operated thereby in accordance with the impulsesreceived over the telephone line, contacts controlled by the said armature, a recording-instru- 120 ment a second magnet for operating the recording instrument and associated with the said first named magnet, and a local source ofenergy connected with the said magnets, v the operation of the said contacts producing 5 a closing of the circuit through the sai source ofener and the said magnets.

3. A recording ap aratus for telephone lines, comprising a re ay, conductors adapted to connect the same with the telephone mechanlsm, a a magnet for controlling the line, a switch included in one of said conductors, a condenser included in the other, a recording mechanism operated in correspondence with the impulses received by the said relay and a motorfor driving a record receiving tape, only during the time when the impulses are received.

4. A recording apparatus for receiving and recording the call impulses over a telephone line, comprising a relay, means for connecting the relay'with the line wires of a telephone, a recording apparatus operable by impulses controlled by said relay and having a record receiving tape, a battery adapted to be connected with the recording apparatus by said relay, a motor for'feeding the record receiving tape, the said battery also furnishing the power for operating the said motor, and a magnet operable by call impulse through the actuation of the relay, for breaking the circuit through the motor automatically at the proper time.

vcally the proper time.

. "6. A recording, apparatus for receiving call impulses from a telephone line having a 5. An apparatus for receiving call impulses from a telephone line comprising 'a' relay adapted to be connected with the said line, a recording instrument provided with a record receiving tape, a magnet controlling the recording instrument, a motor for pulling the tape through the recording current through the motor, an armature for breaking the circuit through the said motor,

a screw shaftoperable by the motor and engaging said armature, the said shaft being adapted to move the armatureto automatibreak the circuit through the motor at adapted to 'be held against said tape for pro-' ducing marks thereon under the action of the said happen a motor for feeding the tape, a roller engaging the said ta for feeding it, gearing connecting the sai roller with the motor, a screw shaft operated by the said motor, an armature, having a threaded part adapted to be brought into engagement with said screw shaft whereby it is caused to break the circuit through the motor, a magnet operable for lifting the armature from said second shaft, and thus permit the completion of a circuit through themotor and a local source of energy for operating the said magnets the circuit being completed through said source at every impulsereceived by the said relay.

7. A recording mechanism for use in connection with telephone systems, comprisin a relay mechanism adapted to be connecte with the" line wires of a telephone system, a recording device associated with said relay mechanism and' actuated in'correspond ence with the actuation of the relay for producing records which may be read at any time subsequent to the receiving of the impulses.

ltn Witness that I claim thelforegomg I have hereunto subscribed my name this-27th day of June, 1911. 7

- SAMUEL B. KEVIN.

Witnesses? i i E. STADTMAN,

EARLE R. PoLLAnu. 

